As Roger Ailes has been in the news lately due to accusations of sexual harassment I thought I would share a summary I wrote on the man a few years back

"Fair and balanced" is the slogan for Fox News. Tim Dickinson, the author of "How Roger Ailes Built the Fox News Fear Factory The onetime Nixon operative has created the most profitable propaganda machine in history. Inside America"s Unfair and Imbalanced Network," couldn"t disagree more. Dickinson, in criticism of Fox News, quotes Roger Ailes, the founder of the news network by saying that "Forget all the facts and figures, and move to the offense as quickly as possible" would serve as a more appropriate slogan. (Dickinson, "11 p.7) In short the author feels that Ailes is "cleverly camouflaging political propaganda as independent journalism."(Dickinson, "11 p. 2)

The Author claims that in order to understand Fox News you have to first understand Roger Ailes. Jane Hall, a long time Fox commentator, said concerning Ailes "He is Fox News."(Dickinson "11 p.1) Within the article the author gives a fairly thorough history of Ailes.

From a young age Ailes was in the media industry and understood its importance in politics. In 1968 Ailes participated in helping Nixon get Elected to the presidency. Nixon once said "It"s a shame a man has to use gimmicks like television to get elected." To which Ailes replied, "Television is not a gimmick and if you think it is, you"ll lose again." (Dickinson "11 p. 4) Because of Ailes success with the Nixon campaign, he was hired at Television News Incorporated (TVN). This news station was "designed to inject a far right slant into local news broadcast by providing news clips that stations could use without credit." (Dickinson "11 p. 5) The network was biased enough that the news director quit in protest, calling the network a "propaganda machine." (Dickinson "11 p. 5)

In 1984, while Reagan was running for Presidency, the Republican campaign sought Ailes to prepare the President for his debates. At the time, Ronald Reagan was beginning to show signs of Alzheimer"s. His age was one of his obstacles to becoming the President. Ailes takes credit for giving Reagan his one line response that won him the debate when he said, "I want you to understand that also I will not make age an issue of this campaign, I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponents youth and inexperience." (Dickinson "11 p. 6) Ailes also played a large role in helping President George H.W. Bush win his election by coaching him on his television appearances.

After this time, Ailes claims to have left politics saying, "I quit politics because I hated it." (Dickinson "11 p. 2) Ailes joined with Murdoch in launching Fox News, which has become the most profitable news corporation, earning $816 million in 2010. In the 2000 election of George W. Bush, it became very clear how powerful Fox News really is. "According to a study of voting patterns by the University of California, Fox News shifted roughly 200,000 ballots to Bush in areas where voters had access to the network." (Dickinson "11 p. 12) The news network announced Bush at 2:16 a.m. the winner of the election, even though it was still too close to call at the time. "A move that spurred every other network to follow suite and led to Bush wins headlines in morning papers." (Dickinson "11 p. 12)

Fox News has a very particular viewing base, "only 1.38% of viewers are African American." "The networks viewers are old, with a median age of 65." (Dickinson "11 p. 14) The success of Fox News shows Ailes ability to cater to his audiences. With a strong base of viewers, Ailes has put himself in a position to effect the popular opinion. "Fox News went all out to convince its white viewers that Obama was a Marxist, a Muslim, a black nationalist and a 1960s radical." (Dickinson "11 p. 14)

The most startling statistics this article gives are about the effects Fox News has on its viewers. "According to recent polls, Fox News viewers are the most misinformed of all news consumers. They are 12 percentage points more likely to believe the stimulus package caused job losses, 17 points more likely to believe Muslims want to establish Shariah law in America, 30 points more likely to say that scientists dispute global warming, and 31 points more likely to doubt President Obama"s citizenship. In fact, a study by the University of Maryland reveals, ignorance of Fox viewers actually increases the longer they watch the network." (Dickinson "11 p. 15) This is very disturbing that a network that is supposedly devoted to providing "fair and balanced" news actually causes more confusion than informing people.

Ailes fully believes the things that he puts on Fox News. He is every bit as paranoid as the viewers who watch Fox News. Dan Copper, one of the founders of Fox News said "Ailes is also deeply paranoid. Convinced that he has personally been targeted by Al Qaeda for assassination, he surrounds himself with an aggressive security detail and is licensed to carry a concealed handgun." (Dickinson "11 p.3) Murdoch, the news corporation chief of Fox, is recorded as saying "You know Roger is crazy, he really believes that stuff." (Dickinson "11 p. 2) Fox News is being shaped and run by a senile old man. Dickinson has provided evidence of this in his article.

(Dickinson, How Roger Ailes Built the Fox News Fear Factory The onetime Nion operative has created the most profitable propaganda machine in history. Inside America's Unfair and Imbalanced Network, 2011)

At 7/20/2016 5:23:51 AM, jsmill wrote:As Roger Ailes has been in the news lately due to accusations of sexual harassment I thought I would share a summary I wrote on the man a few years back

"Fair and balanced" is the slogan for Fox News. Tim Dickinson, the author of "How Roger Ailes Built the Fox News Fear Factory The onetime Nixon operative has created the most profitable propaganda machine in history. Inside America"s Unfair and Imbalanced Network," couldn"t disagree more. Dickinson, in criticism of Fox News, quotes Roger Ailes, the founder of the news network by saying that "Forget all the facts and figures, and move to the offense as quickly as possible" would serve as a more appropriate slogan. (Dickinson, "11 p.7) In short the author feels that Ailes is "cleverly camouflaging political propaganda as independent journalism."(Dickinson, "11 p. 2)

The Author claims that in order to understand Fox News you have to first understand Roger Ailes. Jane Hall, a long time Fox commentator, said concerning Ailes "He is Fox News."(Dickinson "11 p.1) Within the article the author gives a fairly thorough history of Ailes.

From a young age Ailes was in the media industry and understood its importance in politics. In 1968 Ailes participated in helping Nixon get Elected to the presidency. Nixon once said "It"s a shame a man has to use gimmicks like television to get elected." To which Ailes replied, "Television is not a gimmick and if you think it is, you"ll lose again." (Dickinson "11 p. 4) Because of Ailes success with the Nixon campaign, he was hired at Television News Incorporated (TVN). This news station was "designed to inject a far right slant into local news broadcast by providing news clips that stations could use without credit." (Dickinson "11 p. 5) The network was biased enough that the news director quit in protest, calling the network a "propaganda machine." (Dickinson "11 p. 5)

In 1984, while Reagan was running for Presidency, the Republican campaign sought Ailes to prepare the President for his debates. At the time, Ronald Reagan was beginning to show signs of Alzheimer"s. His age was one of his obstacles to becoming the President. Ailes takes credit for giving Reagan his one line response that won him the debate when he said, "I want you to understand that also I will not make age an issue of this campaign, I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponents youth and inexperience." (Dickinson "11 p. 6) Ailes also played a large role in helping President George H.W. Bush win his election by coaching him on his television appearances.

After this time, Ailes claims to have left politics saying, "I quit politics because I hated it." (Dickinson "11 p. 2) Ailes joined with Murdoch in launching Fox News, which has become the most profitable news corporation, earning $816 million in 2010. In the 2000 election of George W. Bush, it became very clear how powerful Fox News really is. "According to a study of voting patterns by the University of California, Fox News shifted roughly 200,000 ballots to Bush in areas where voters had access to the network." (Dickinson "11 p. 12) The news network announced Bush at 2:16 a.m. the winner of the election, even though it was still too close to call at the time. "A move that spurred every other network to follow suite and led to Bush wins headlines in morning papers." (Dickinson "11 p. 12)

Fox News has a very particular viewing base, "only 1.38% of viewers are African American." "The networks viewers are old, with a median age of 65." (Dickinson "11 p. 14) The success of Fox News shows Ailes ability to cater to his audiences. With a strong base of viewers, Ailes has put himself in a position to effect the popular opinion. "Fox News went all out to convince its white viewers that Obama was a Marxist, a Muslim, a black nationalist and a 1960s radical." (Dickinson "11 p. 14)

The most startling statistics this article gives are about the effects Fox News has on its viewers. "According to recent polls, Fox News viewers are the most misinformed of all news consumers. They are 12 percentage points more likely to believe the stimulus package caused job losses, 17 points more likely to believe Muslims want to establish Shariah law in America, 30 points more likely to say that scientists dispute global warming, and 31 points more likely to doubt President Obama"s citizenship. In fact, a study by the University of Maryland reveals, ignorance of Fox viewers actually increases the longer they watch the network." (Dickinson "11 p. 15) This is very disturbing that a network that is supposedly devoted to providing "fair and balanced" news actually causes more confusion than informing people.

Ailes fully believes the things that he puts on Fox News. He is every bit as paranoid as the viewers who watch Fox News. Dan Copper, one of the founders of Fox News said "Ailes is also deeply paranoid. Convinced that he has personally been targeted by Al Qaeda for assassination, he surrounds himself with an aggressive security detail and is licensed to carry a concealed handgun." (Dickinson "11 p.3) Murdoch, the news corporation chief of Fox, is recorded as saying "You know Roger is crazy, he really believes that stuff." (Dickinson "11 p. 2) Fox News is being shaped and run by a senile old man. Dickinson has provided evidence of this in his article.

(Dickinson, How Roger Ailes Built the Fox News Fear Factory The onetime Nion operative has created the most profitable propaganda machine in history. Inside America's Unfair and Imbalanced Network, 2011)

I'm a liberal. And fox news espouses conservative viewpoints, and those that aren't justified either with statistics. So although I dislike all cable news companies, I dislike Fox news the most because of its political bentness. Although I do like Megan kelly.

And as that one guy said on Democracy Now! this does signal a huge change in the conservative world. Trump winning the Republican nomination defying the establishment and rupturing traditional conservative values. And Roger Ailes stepping down, who was the leader of conservatives for decades. It does note a very large turning point for conservatives, and the Republican party